Ttieodor bruno ptjttmann and max otto claus



(No Model.)

T. B. PUTTMANN 8c M. 0.. CLAUS.

MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT. No. 563,800. Patented July 14, 1896.

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- flJTOZZ/VEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Tl-IEODOR BRUNO PUTTMANN ANDMAX OTTO CLAUS, OF LEIPSIC-GOHLIS, GERMANY.

MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 563,800, dated July 14, 1896.

Application filed October 10, 1895. Serial No. 565,305. (roman) To aZZ whom itmay concern:

Be it known that we, THEODOR BRUNO PiirrMANN and MAX Orro OLAUs, subjects of the King of Saxony, residing at Leipsic- Gohlis, Saxony, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Me* chanical Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a mechanical musical instrument in which the strings are set in vibration by the action of pressers hung upon springs and adapted to fly back more quickly than the strings which they have defiected, these pressers being operated by tappet-wheels, which also govern and operate the dampers by bringing the latter laterally against the respective strings.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through such musical instrument parallel with the strings and showing one of the strings with its presser, tappetwheel, and damper, and a section of the music-sheet, the parts being in the position in which the damper is in action and the presser in its resting position. Fig. 2 is a similar section showing the position of the parts in which the presser, here shown in a modified c0nstruction, is pressed down and deflects the string, while the damper is free and assumes its position of rest away from the string. Fig. 3 shows the damper separate from the other parts, and Fig. i is an end elevation of the same as seen from the right in Fig. 3.

S is the string; N, the music-sheet; R, the rotary tappet-wheel; A, the presser, and D the damper. The tappet-wheel is adapted to revolve on the shaft R, which affords also a bearing for the damper D, which has a hole Dfor passage of the shaft R, and lugs D D to embrace the frame-bar F to prevent the damper from revolving.

A is the presser, which may be made in one piece with its spring-shank A, as in Fig. 1, or may be a separate part, for instance, pivoted at X, as in Fig. 2, and held from the string by a spring A, equivalent to the said shank.

causes the wheel to be partially revolved.

This action first brings the damper into action, as just described, and shown in Fig. 1. As the movement continues, another tooth Z of the wheel presses down the presser A onto the string, deflecting the latter, as shown in Fig. 2, while the damper is released by the tooth Z passing over the boss I) out of contact therewith. When the tooth Z has passed over the end of the presser A, the latter springs up, and its spring A being shorter than the string has a quicker movement than the latter, so that the presser A leaves the string, which is free to vibrate.

We claim as our invention- In a mechanical musical stringed instrument the combination of a stretched string a presser therefor, a spring shorter than said string supporting said presser therefrom, a rotary tappet-wheel R adapted to bring the presser against the string and a damper movable laterally by said tappet-wheel, the said damper being adapted to stand clear of said string and having a boss 2) whereby the passage of a tooth of said tappet-wheel may defleet the damper in contact with the string.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification. in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THEODOR BRUNO PUTTMANN. MAX o'rro CLAUS.

Witnesses:

RUDOLPH FRIOKE, O'r'ro DOEDERLEIN. 

